Well, folks, it seems Mother Nature decided to play her hand at the FireKeepers Casino 400, and let me tell you, she’s got a wicked sense of humor. Persistent rain forced the race’s postponement until Monday at noon ET, after a mere 74 laps. Four drivers had already fallen out because of accidents, and I’m starting to think they might have been the lucky ones.
Three drivers who were expected to contend for victory—Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, and William Byron—exited with wrecked cars in the first 46 laps. They won’t be on track for the resumption on Monday but don’t worry; you can catch all the action on USA, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio because nothing says excitement like listening to cars you can’t see.
Josh Berry, filling in for the suspended Noah Gragson, spun into the wall on Lap 51 and joined the others on the sidelines. It’s like a NASCAR version of musical chairs, with more crashes.
Tyler Reddick had taken the lead after a Lap 70 restart, but the rain started falling. It’s almost poetic. A race named after a casino, and the weather decides to gamble with the outcome.
Elliott’s Playoff position gained clarity, if not comfort when his No. 9 Chevrolet blew a tire and rocketed into the wall. He finished in 36th place, putting him in a must-win position for the next three races. “Yeah, I feel good,” he said. “I hate that it happened. It was early in the day to have a tire blow like that. It’s a bummer, but not surprised… Add it to the list.” Ah, the optimism of a race car driver.
Kyle Busch, a three-time winner this season, had fallen out 20 laps earlier. “I put myself in a bad spot,” said Busch. “I really hate that I did that.” Don’t we all, Kyle, don’t we all?
In other news, FireKeepers Casino has extended its entitlement with Michigan International Speedway in a multiyear deal. Specific terms were not delineated, but it involves lots of money and more opportunities for rain delays.
So there you have it, a day of rain, wrecks, and radio broadcasts. It’s enough to make you wonder why we watch this sport in the first place. That’s NASCAR for you. Always keeping us on our toes, or in this case, our rear ends. See you Monday, race fans.